I’ve just looked at the 1871 census which has him living at what it records as The Vicarage. He is 40, the Rector of the parish, and had been born in Grimsby. His wife Ann was 30 and born at Ulcebly Junction (if I read the handwriting correctly). They had children Annie (5), Elinor (2) and Joseph (1). They had teenage kitchen and nursey maids.

Then I noticed another William Phillipson in the same parish. He is 74, born in Bradly itself and one of the largest farmers in the parish. He is living with two neices (both born in the neighbouring parish of Waltham) and servants. I wondered whether they might be related, but an initial dip into the 1841 census hasn’t pinned this down, and I better not spend all afternoon looking…

I’ve just looked at the 1871 census which has him living at what it records as The Vicarage. He is 40, the Rector of the parish, and had been born in Grimsby. His wife Ann was 30 and born at Ulcebly Junction (if I read the handwriting correctly). They had children Annie (5), Elinor (2) and Joseph (1). They had teenage kitchen and nursey maids.

Then I noticed another William Phillipson in the same parish. He is 74, born in Bradly itself and one of the largest farmers in the parish. He is living with two neices (both born in the neighbouring parish of Waltham) and servants. I wondered whether they might be related, but an initial dip into the 1841 census hasn’t pinned this down, and I better not spend all afternoon looking…

Regards

Christine Wright.

It has been lovely reading about my old church St George’s, your site is
very informative. I was born and brought up in Bradley during the 50s,
60s and 70s I had a very happy childhood living in the village with my
parents John and Mary Poole.
There was a good strong little community, everyone grew their own
vegetables flowers etc and many a time one of the neighbors would pop
round and give us a few carrots, cabbage or strawberries, like wise my
parents would share what ever we had grown. We also kept pigs, geese and
hens.

The Vicar was Reverend Weston who lived in the Rectory just round the
corner from us. The church smelt heavily of incense as did the Rectory.
Once a year usually during the summer months the Vicar, choir boys and
small congregation would walk round the village holding a large cross
and swinging the incense, Dad used to say he was blessing the
dandelions!

My Mum worked at the Manor house for a while and said it was a little
bit scary in places. It was said to have a tunnel from the house to the
church, this was supposed to be mentioned in the Doomsday Book, all
this was fascinating and intriguing for us children to hear.

I hope they haven’t taken down all, the lovely chestnut trees
surrounding the church, they were enormous,and gave us all the conkers
we needed! During the Autumn the leaves would flutter down by the
score, a fabulous sight. After tea me and my friend would cycle down
the hill past the church into the old village, to meet up with other
children and sometimes it was getting a little dark when we returned
home, this was pretty damn scary having to cycling back past the grave
yard! Almost every family would have their own bonfire on the 5th of
November and go carol singing round the village at Christmas time, ah
those were the days.

Sorry to go on but seeing the church brought it all back to me.

Kind Regards

Sharon Jennings

PS I would love to hear from anyone else who comes from Bradley, it
would be great to share some more memories.

Best
Rod - working on _ _ _ _ by

There is in the Registry of Lincoln Cathedral a document dated 1566 and entitled the Inventory of Superstitious Monuments. It consists of a series of reports, following the Reformation, of Catholic objects in Lincolnshire churches which the authorities considered idolatory or unnecessary and the actions taken to dispose of them. One of the churches in the document was St. George’s Bradley and the items listed were as follows:

A Rood-screen showing Mary and John - burnt by the churchwardens.
A Rood loft, pulled down and defaced by the churchwardens then sold.
A mass book with all the other Popish books, burnt by the parson 1st. year of Elizabeth’s reign.
Vestments, stoles and other linens burnt in Edward VIth’s time.
One altar stone was broken up and used to mend the highway and the rest removed in King Edward’s time.

Now, no matter what your beliefs, creeds, or philosophy, doesn’t that all make you cringe?

I shall, from time to time, when it occurs to me, be adding lists to other churches as you cover them Rod. I wonder if that altar stone is still under the road there……

Regards,
Neville

I visited 5 churches today Peter and enjoyed every second of it - well apart from standing outside one with an early knight effigy inside and a locked door

Thanks again for taking the time Peter - it really is appreciated, not just by me either - many others both now and in the future
All the best
Rod